1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a bathroom lock device having an automatically unlocking structure. Particularly, the present invention relates to the bathroom lock device having a pair of actuating protrusions of an unlocking rotary plate to engage with a rotatable wheel of a manual control rod for carrying out a smoothly unlocking operation. More particularly, the present invention relates to the bathroom lock device using the actuating protrusions of the unlocking rotary plate for creating a rotational movement of the rotatable wheel of the manual control rod in the unlocking operation.
2. Description of the Related Art
Referring now to FIG. 1, a conventional bathroom lock device having an automatically unlocking structure includes an actuating shaft 81, an inner rose escutcheon 82, an inner locking mechanism 83, an outer rose escutcheon 84 and an outer actuating rotary plate 85, as described in Taiwanese Patent Publication No. M245255, entitled “LOCK AND UNLOCK STRUCTURE OF A BATHROOM LOCK DEVICE”, and U.S. Patent Publication No. 2005/0046203, entitled “BATHROOM LOCK DEVICE”. The actuating shaft 81 extends through a lock set 86 and drives it so that a latch bolt 861 of the lock set 86 can be slid to retract into the lock set 86 by turning the actuating shaft 81. An inner lever 821 mechanically connects with a first side of the inner rose escutcheon 82 while the inner locking mechanism 83 mechanically connects with a second side of the inner rose escutcheon 82 which is opposite to the first side of the inner rose escutcheon 82. Furthermore, the inner locking mechanism 83 consists of a manual control rod 831, an unlocking rotary plate 832 and an inner actuating rotary plate 833 which are assembled to constitute a manually controllable mechanism. The unlocking rotary plate 832 is securely mounted to the inner lever 821, but the inner actuating rotary plate 833 does not securely connect with the inner lever 821 and permits freely turning the inner lever 821 within a predetermined angular movement to create a delayed action in unlocking operation. Meanwhile, the inner actuating rotary plate 833 securely connects with the actuating shaft 81 to form an assembled relationship.
An outer lever 841 mechanically connects with a first side of the outer rose escutcheon 84 while the outer actuating rotary plate 85 mechanically connects with a second side of the outer rose escutcheon 84 which is opposite to the first side of the outer rose escutcheon 84. Meanwhile, the outer actuating rotary plate 85 securely connects with the outer lever 841 to form an assembled relationship.
In locking operation, a limiting portion of the manual control rod 831 engages in a recession portion of the inner actuating rotary plate 833 when the manual control rod 831 is pressed to travel to a lock position. Accordingly, the actuating shaft 81, the outer actuating rotary plate 85 and the outer lever 841 cannot be turned such that the bathroom lock device is locked. Conversely, in unlocking operation, once the inner lever 821 is turned, the inner lever 821 actuates the unlocking rotary plate 832 and the inner actuating rotary plate 833 to rotate synchronously. Subsequently, first engaging portions “a” of the unlocking rotary plate 832 push second engaging portions “b” of the manual control rod 831 so that the manual control rod 831 is forced to return to an unlock position. Once the limiting portion of the manual control rod 831 disengages from the recession portion of the inner actuating rotary plate 833, the inner actuating rotary plate 833 can turn the actuating shaft 81 to operate the lock set 86 in the event for opening a bathroom door (not shown). Accordingly, the bathroom lock device is unlocked.
The inner lever 821 of the above-mentioned bathroom lock device can be turned to actuate the unlocking rotary plate 832 for returning the manual control rod 831 to an unlock position. The first engaging portions “a” of the unlocking rotary plate 832 and the second engaging portions “b” of the manual control rod 831 are engaged with and repeatedly wore each other. After long-term use, constant friction can distort both of the first engaging portions “a” of the unlocking rotary plate 832 and the second engaging portions “b” of the manual control rod 831. Disadvantageously, the unlocking rotary plate 832 cannot push the manual control rod 831 to return to a correct unlock position; namely, the limiting portion of the manual control rod 831 cannot completely disengage from the recession portion of the inner actuating rotary plate 833. In this circumstance, the bathroom lock device is jammed and cannot be automatically unlocked. This results m deterioration of the product quality and reduction of the useful life of the bathroom lock device.
Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3, another conventional bathroom lock device having an automatically unlocking structure includes a lever 91, an rose escutcheon 92, an actuating rotary plate 93, a manual control shaft 94 and an unlocking rotary plate 95, as described in Taiwanese Patent Publication No. 261178, entitled “AUTOMATICALLY UNLOCKABLE LOCK (III)”, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,562,317, entitled “INNER HANDLE ASSEMBLY OF CYLINDER LOCK”. By referring to FIG. 2, the lever 91 includes a spindle member 911 connected thereto. The rose escutcheon 92 is mounted around the spindle member 911 of the lever 91 and includes an axial hole 921 and an operating aperture 922 each of which has a direction running along a longitudinal line. In assembling operation, the axial hole 921 of the rose escutcheon 92 permits extending the spindle member 911 of the lever 91, and the operating aperture 922 is arranged to juxtapose the axial hole 921 on a plane of the rose escutcheon 92. Correspondingly, the actuating rotary plate 93 includes an axle hole 931 which fittingly engages with the spindle member 911 of the lever 91. The manual control shaft 94 has a pushing portion 941 and a limiting portion 942. A distal end of the manual control shaft 94 extends outwardly through the operating aperture 922 of the rose escutcheon 92 and also beyond an outer surface of the rose escutcheon 92. In operation, the manual control shaft 94 can be shifted between a locking position and an unlocking position by axial movement. The limiting portion 942 securely connects with the pushing portion 941 to form the manual control shaft 94.
In locking operation, the limiting portion 942 of the manual control shaft 94 is engaged with a recessed portion of the actuating rotary plate 93 so that the actuating rotary plate 93 cannot be turned for opening a (bathroom) door (not shown). In the locking position, an axial movement of the limiting portion 942 of the manual control shaft 94 with respect to the actuating rotary plate 93 is unlimited such that the manual control shaft 94 can be shifted to an unlocking position. Meanwhile, the unlocking rotary plate 95 is engaged with the spindle member 911 of the lever 91 and mounted in an inner side of the rose escutcheon 92.
In unlocking operation, the spindle member 911 of the lever 91 can synchronously actuate the unlocking rotary plate 95 for a rotary movement. Once the lever 91 is turned to rotate the unlocking rotary plate 95, the unlocking rotary plate 95 can push the limiting portion 942 of the manual control shaft 94 to cause an axial movement toward the rose escutcheon 92 for the unlocking operation. Accordingly, the limiting portion 942 of the manual control shaft 94 can be disengaged from a recessed portion of the actuating rotary plate 93 so that the actuating rotary plate 93 can be turned for opening a (bathroom) door (not shown). The spindle member 911 of the lever 91 connects with the actuating rotary plate 93 for turning operation, but the actuating rotary plate 93 permits freely turning the spindle member 911 of the lever 91 within a certain extent of the angular movement to create a delayed action of the lock. Namely, the actuating rotary plate 93 does not fit and securely connect with the spindle member 911 of the lever 91. Such practice may, however, cause the axial movement of the manual control shaft 94 to an unlocking position in advance in the unlocking operation. Concretely, the spindle member 911 of the lever 91 can turn unlocking rotary plate 95 synchronously to move the manual control shaft 94 in advance for unlocking operation, and then the actuating rotary plate 93 after the delayed action of the lock.
The lever 91 of the above-mentioned cylinder lock can be turned to actuate the unlocking rotary plate 95 in advance for returning the limiting portion 942 of the manual control shaft 94 to an unlock position. After long-term use, constant friction can distort both of engaging portions of the unlocking rotary plate 95 and the manual control shaft 94. Disadvantageously, the unlocking rotary plate 95 cannot push the manual control shaft 94 to return to a correct unlock position; namely, the limiting portion of the manual control shaft 94 cannot completely disengage from the recession portion of the actuating rotary plate 93. In this circumstance, the bathroom lock device is jammed and cannot be automatically unlocked. This results in deterioration of the product quality and reduction of the useful life of the lock.
Hence, there is a need for improving the unlocking structure of the lock and alleviating undesired results so as to increase the product quality and the useful life of the lock.
The present invention intends to provide a bathroom lock device having a pair of actuating protrusions of an unlocking rotary plate to engage with a rotatable wheel of a manual control rod for carrying out smoothly an unlocking operation. Accordingly, an inner lever can smoothly actuate to return the manual control rod to an unlocking position by turning the unlocking rotary plate. In unlocking operation, the engagement of the actuating protrusions of the unlocking rotary plate with the rotatable wheel of the manual control rod can in such a way mitigates and overcomes the above problem. Accordingly, the engagement of the actuating protrusions of the unlocking rotary plate with the rotatable wheel of the manual control rod can alleviate a degree of operational abrasion between the unlocking rotary plate and the manual control rod such that the product quality and the useful life of the bathroom lock device is increased.